Barbecues and bursaries uplifting the Mudgeeraba-Robina community

23 July 2025
  • Mateship

Wellbeing and community engagement are the top priorities of Mudgeeraba-Robina RSL Sub Branch.

Over the past 18 months, the small Gold Coast Sub Branch has been making moves within the community by getting involved with local organisations and providing opportunities for school children through a bursary initiative. 

Mudgeeraba-Robina RSL Sub Branch President Darren Sapwell says it’s important for the Sub Branch to engage with the next generation and promote the importance of education.

“The $200 bursary recognises deserving students and is designed to give them a chance to invest into their education,” Darren says.

“To be eligible, the student must have a family connection to the veteran community, have good attendance at school, and always be striving to do their best.

“Some of them put the bursary into buying textbooks or uniforms, but we don’t restrict what they buy with it.”

Supporting the next generation

One of the bursary recipients was Evelyn Petersen, who decided to dedicate her bursary and time to help out the Sub Branch.

“I received the bursary in 2023 when I was in year six,” she says.

Mudgeeraba Robina RSL Sub Branch bursary program

Bursary recipient Evelyn Petersen with Mudgeeraba-Robina RSL Sub Branch President Darren Sapwell

Eveyln comes from a family with a long history of Defence Force members, including a grandfather who served in Vietnam, great-grandparents who served in WWII and great-great-grandparents who served in WWI.

While she wasn’t aware of the bursary beforehand, Evelyn says it was an honour to receive it and enjoys giving back to the Sub Branch.

“I'm quite proud to be able to say that I've helped the Sub Branch and given back to the community, especially since we should all help and respect veterans in our community,” she says. 

Evelyn’s support for the Sub Branch has even become a family affair with her mother, stepfather and aunt accompanying her to support the Sub Branch’s fundraising initiatives. 

Darren says the support from Evelyn’s family means so much to him and his members. 

“Evelyn and her family are fantastic to us when we’re short-staffed for badge selling or Bunnings sausage sizzles; they always put up their hand,” he says. “The whole family comes and gives up their time to ensure that we raise money to provide our wellbeing and compensation activities to the veteran community. 

“Their support shows us that we’ve earned the respect of the family.” 

Working with Bunnings 

In addition to the bursary, Mudgeeraba-Robina RSL Sub Branch is committed to finding fundraising opportunities that integrate with other local organisations and businesses. One of these is the local Bunnings, located in Robina. 

Some weekends, the Sub Branch hosts the store’s famous sausage sizzles.

“A lot of people aren’t aware that Mudgeeraba and Robina have an RSL Sub Branch, so the sausage sizzles really raise awareness of us within the community,” Darren says. 

“We get to talk to a lot of locals and veterans who love having a chat and a snag. We’ve actually attracted four new members from the sausage sizzles alone – just by being in the community and talking to people.

“The reality is, without these fundraising activities that we conduct at Bunnings, we probably wouldn’t be able to survive as a Sub Branch the way we do now.”

Mudgeeraba Robina Sub Branch Bunnings

Darren and Bunnings Robina Activities Organiser Kylie Mosen

Darren says the Sub Branch has a great relationship with the team at Bunnings Robina and works closely with Bunnings Robina Activities Organiser Kylie Mosen. 

“If I ever need a raffle prize, I reach out to the Bunnings team and they're the first ones to reply with a donation of a gift card for our raffles,” Darren says. 

“Kylie has also been great to work with. If we've got something that we're unsure how to best approach, I know I can call on Kylie as she’s got a lot of contacts in the community and always comes back with a workable solution.”

The appreciation goes both ways. 

“As a local store, we understand the importance of getting involved with the community and working with local organisations, and Mudgeeraba-Robina RSL Sub Branch is amazing to work with,” Kylie says. “They’re always out there in the community helping out, and if I ever have a sausage sizzle cancellation or need some help quickly, they’re there to support us.

“My dad’s a Vietnam veteran and when he had an accident last year, the guys from the Sub Branch were really great and reached out to me to ask if he needed any help – even just a chat! So, I brought him down to one of their monthly morning teas, which was really good for him.”

“The community is everything,” Darren says. “We’ve now made ties with the Mudgeeraba Lions and the Mudgeeraba Springbrook Hall Trust, we engage with our local police officers, we’re involved with the Rotary Club, and we’re just starting a partnership with the Show Society.

“To us, community connection helps us get our name out there and raise our profile in the community, spreading the word that we’re here for veterans.”